disaster relief

Romney was asked at a presidential debate whether FEMA should be shut down in light of the deficit. Romney replied that FEMA should “absolutely” be shut down. He was asked specifically if that included disaster relief. He replied that it was “immoral” to provide such relief in the face of “larger debts”, emphasizing that “it makes no sense at all” to have such programs.

As Hurricane Isaac threatens the Gulf again, we will see if Katrina and Isaac serve as bookends of GOP hostility to federal disaster relief. An odd stance for a party that claims to “choose life” while watching people die in natural disasters rather than provide an adequate response.